Pros and Cons

I switched up my gym routine this morning and tried to get both cardio and strength training in my work out.

I started with laps in the pool.

Pros and cons of the pool in my gym:

Pro – Olympic size swimming pool

Con – Only 6 lanes that are always full no matter what time I go

Pro – People are nice and will usually share a lane

Con – Person who is willing to share a lane is usually super fast and I feel like they’re secretly judging as they pass me several times as I struggle to complete one lap

Pro – Saline based pool

Con – Saline based pool = one dehydrated swimmer (need to learn NOT to take in pool water when coming up for air)

Overall, I am digging the pool and getting a swim in early really wakes you up!

I gave myself 30 minutes in the pool and did a quick change in the locker room for my strength training session. This morning I focused on lower body and follows Sarah’s plan to a tee.

At the end of my session I discovered my gym has foam rollers on the floor! I grabbed one and rolled out my left IT band that has been giving me a fuss the last week. It was both brutal and amazing at the same time. 😉

I am happy to report that I believe I am getting better at showering and prepping for the day at the gym. In lieu of my robe I have started bringing a pair of sweats and zip up jacket to wear while I am blow drying my hair. Much better than putting work clothes on while I’m soaking wet. I’ve also got the ‘5-minute curly hair’ routine down to a science. The trick is to make it intentionally messy so that when you miss a piece it isn’t painfully obvious. 😉

I also can not stress how important it is to prep breakfast the night before. It’s so easy just to grab and go and not have to think about it in the morning.

Cereal was my breakfast of choice last night.

1/2 cup Peanut Butter Puffins

1/2 cup Fiber One Cereal

1/2 cup Pumpkin Granola

1 Pear

Plain Yogurt

Apricot Preserves

I had pre-mixed the apricot preserves with the plain yogurt last night. The results were fabulous.

Don’t worry, people aren’t judging you! There are fast and slow people at the pool all the time. Like most of us, we are in between. And, hopefully, we remember when we first started out swimming. When I first started swimming again, I was so paranoid about what other people thought of my swimming! I still am sometimes, but I noticed that there are always going to be people who are better than me, and there are always going to be people a lot worse than me! Look around. You will feel better about yourself and the skills that you do have! Happy swimming!

Oooh, I wish I could swim in the mornings… The pool I go to, however, has a distinctly laid-back Caribbean schedule (9 to 6 on paper, but more like “when the pool man shows up” to “when he wants to go home early), so I stick with lunchtime swims instead.

Like Nicole said, don’t worry about what other swimmers think of your skills! When I started I felt like everyone was looking at me and judging, but as I’ve improved and started swimming laps I’ve realized that you don’t really notice other people when you’re intent on doing your own thing, and most people who’d wake up that early to hit the pool will be VERY intent on doing their own thing–and get to their breakfast afterwards:-)

As a “faster” swimmer willing to share a lane, you need to know that you are not being secretly judged!!! Swimming is amazing and no matter how many laps you do it’s a great full body workout. One lap is a lap completed, no matter how fast you do it!

Did you already announce what the photo shoot is for? I must have missed it!

My pool luckily has slow/medium/fast lanes so I have been able to move around depending on the speed of the other swimmers. But I am sure the swimmers at your pool are used to sharing with people of all levels so I wouldn’t worry about it 🙂

I love having a grab and go breakfast as well! I have been making my GM’s before I go to bed grab it in the morning and drink it in the car on the way to work. It is so nice to not have to think about anything in the morning! Also, have you had trouble forgetting things at home that you need to get ready at the gym? I feel like I always forget ONE thing whether it is socks or a comb it gets me every time!

I forgot underwear this morning! I made it to my apartnemtn gate before I thought to turn around and grab a pair 🙂 I would have gone pantiless but I’m wearing a dress today and wasn’t sure how well that would go over.

Next time you’re at the pool ask your lane buddy if you can split the lane with them, that way you won’t be in their way and won’t feel self conscious about them passing you. Swimmers are generally nice, especially the ones who also look like they’re going a bit slower.

Hooray for getting down to a morning routine at the gym! At my last fancy gym that I belonged to (miss it so much!) there was one woman who routinely blow dried her hair – in the nude – and um, let’s just say she wasn’t nude material? But I guess I gotta give her kudos for not caring!

hurray for blue! i hate swimming laps with someone who’s faster than me…at least they’re willing to share though! i’ve been in pools where people straight up ignore you and/or the lifeguard that’s telling them to share…RUDE!

Another pro- it’s nice to have other people swimming around you. That’s one of the hardest parts when I swim alone at home during the summer. It can get super boring just counting the laps back in fourth when you’re the only one there. Also, it’s safer! I doubt anyone starts out super fast. So don’t worry about it and just use the faster swimmers as inspiration for getting faster yourself!

I used to be a lifeguard during the summers in high school and college. It was an amazing job but I had to train a little for the certification class. I was in shape at the time, and I totally failed my first class because I wasn’t a good enough swimmer. Swimming is HARDER than it looks.. I practiced a little and took the course again and passed with flying colors but the point is that swimming is a great workout especially in the summer time 🙂

I always have to prep my breakfast, lunch and all my snacks for the workweek. I work about 20 miles away from my office so it’s essential that I plan everything the night before, then I just wake up and go. It’s the easiest way to do it for me. Hope you have a good day! xoxo

I would totally think Olympic pool would be a con. Doesn’t that mean you’re swimming 50 m instead of 25 per lap? I guess I go faster when I filp-turn at each end. Those containers are so convent looking!

“Con – Person who is willing to share a lane is usually super fast and I feel like they’re secretly judging as they pass me several times as I struggle to complete one lap”

i don’t think you should worry about that! from my point of view, as the experienced swimmer, whenever i pass someone i’m sharing a lane with it never crosses my mind to judge them for being slower. they are working just as hard as i am, regardless of their speed! swimming is one of those awesome workouts where each individual can benefit themselves even if they aren’t michael phelps fast. just go out there and give it your best effort, and that’s all that matters!

I definitely agree with Chloe – (and my own personal experience as a competitive swimmer for 6 years) – ask someone if they mind splitting a lane. You take the right side and they take the left side, instead of swimming up one side and down the other. Works like a charm 🙂

As a former competitive swimmer, I wouldn’t worry about judgement. I was always too focused on my own swimming. If anything, I worried about annoying the person I was passing! I miss swimming and need to find a gym where I can get back in the pool!